wmartin@brl-vgr.ARPA (Will Martin ) (04/11/84)
The discussion of the meaning of "OEM" has not been directed toward the real original question, which was: > Path: brl-vgr!seismo!harpo!ihnp4!ihuxq!agk > From: agk@ihuxq.UUCP (Andy Kegel) > Subject: Re: Where does one buy a 3b2? > Date: Fri, 6-Apr-84 09:18:01 EST > Article-I.D.: ihuxq.838 > Individuals will not be able to order AT&T 3B2 systems for a while, > although Value-Added Resellers and Original Equipment Manufacturers > will receive machines (I have no idea what the "priority function" is). > Can some one explain the origin of the term "OEM" ?? Obviously Andy knew that "OEM" stood for "Original Equipment Manufacturers", as he used both the full term and the acronym in his query. The question is the ORIGIN of the now-ubiquitous use of such an odd term as "OEM". Why has "OEM" become the standard term to refer to this class of customers or vendors (depending on your viewpoint)? I don't know the answer myself, and I'd like to know, too. The phrase "Original Equipment Manufacturers" is NOT self-explanatory; it could most logically mean "Firms which build equipment designed in-house, as opposed to using designs or subassemblies obtained from outside." This is actually partly the direct OPPOSITE of what it is used to mean! Why aren't this group called "Providers of Subassemblies", if they are selling OEM's, or "Assemblers and Re-labellers" if they are buying OEM's? (To make up a couple terms out of thin air...) What is so magic and desirable about "OEM" -- it hardly even sounds like English! (Of course, most technical writing hardly sounds like English...) THIS is the question originally asked. If anyone knows the answer, I'd like to see it posted. Will